Mets Lose Infielder to Injury, Out “For A Long Time”

Nick Madrigal, a recent signing by the New York Mets to fill a critical bench spot, able to fill in at all infield positions, didn't even get an at-bat before he suffered an injury in his first spring training game with the Mets. He'll be out for a significant period.

Carlos Mendoza gives an update on injuries, including Nick Madrigal having a fracture in his shoulder that will keep him out for "a long time"

Mendoza also shared Sean Manaea has an oblique muscle strain and will be expected to start the season on the IL. pic.twitter.com/o0OAKufOiY
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 24, 2025

An MRI has revealed a fracture in the shoulder, and Madrigal would be "out for [a] long time," per Mendoza.

The injury seemed to occur on this play:

Nick Madrigal left the game after this play.

Is that Jose Iglesias’ music?pic.twitter.com/ibXOfidOpP
— Ben Yoel (@Ben_Yoel) February 23, 2025

Madrigal was especially expected to be able to spell Francisco Lindor at shortstop when needed, as he was really the only legitimate option the team had in camp. They would really like to give one of their top prospects, 22-year-old Luisangel Acuña, more seasoning in the minors.

It's another tough break for Madrigal, once a highly-regarded second-base prospect with the Chicago White Sox. He's suffered a number of injuries that have derailed his career. And he even provided an ominous premonition of this very outcome, earlier in camp, when he said:

“I think there’s been times where I’ve started getting in a groove and then had an injury and just wasn’t able to really get in the groove.”

Now Madrigal will have to wait quite a while once again to try to find his 'groove.'

He only got into 51 games last year with the Chicago Cubs, and has only topped the 59-game mark once in his five-year career.